[bigbex]

Every time I think I've made a decision I end up worrying that I'm about to make an 18 month mistake. OK, here goes....

I currently have Be Unlimited broadband which is excellent apart from the major problem of being a long way from my exchange, hence 3.5Mb/s downloads

Therefore I am looking to move to fibre. I'm not a particulary heavy user but I want to be able to use Netflix/LoveFilm, play PS3 online games (couple of nights per week), occasional torrent/P2P use, occasional legal downloads of music and films, internet browsing, Skype, YouTube, etc. I also have Sky TV and a second satellite set-up for other things.

I'm reasonably happy with Sky TV but would move to Virgin if that was best for me; so my options are:

BT Infinity - Least hassle to join but expensive and customer service and throttle concerns.
PlusNet - Cheapish, UK call centre but between 6-11pm you get a maximum of 50% of what you're paying for!!
Virgin - Cheapest for a package, certain benefits over Sky but customer service and throttle concerns - Also, if I get this wrong then it affects phone, TV and broadband.

Aarrrgghhh! I'm so confused. I guess I'm just wanting to hear from someone who does similar things to me and is happy with their service (without being an employee or fanboy).

Many thanks for any sensible, knowledgable feedback.

[deathtrap3000]

If you wait a couple of months, sky will be offering fibre as well. You might find a bundle with your tv cheaper than going separate.

[buckle247]

BT are talking of offering FTTP come spring 2013. Guess if you are in an 18 month contract with BT you would be able to upgrade if you wanted it (300mb ish)

[bigbex]

Originally Posted by deathtrap3000

If you wait a couple of months, sky will be offering fibre as well. You might find a bundle with your tv cheaper than going separate.

Yeah, I'd heard that but to be honest I'd rather avoid Sky for BB.

[bigbex]

Originally Posted by buckle247

BT are talking of offering FTTP come spring 2013. Guess if you are in an 18 month contract with BT you would be able to upgrade if you wanted it (300mb ish)

Interesting, I didn't know that. However, I guess by that time any contract I take out now (BT or Virgin) will be ending by then anyway.

[deathtrap3000]

Originally Posted by bigbex

Yeah, I'd heard that but to be honest I'd rather avoid Sky for BB.

Any particular reason?

[Foster]

BT Infinity is excellent they have never throttled my line, they only throttle torrents etc so if you do alot of torrents then well you will get throttled at some point.

[D'@ve]

Originally Posted by Foster

BT Infinity is excellent they have never throttled my line, they only throttle torrents etc so if you do alot of torrents then well you will get throttled at some point.

I second that, no throttling at any time of day on my 4 day old Infinity (yet!) but I don't do P2P so can't comment on that. 37+ down, 8+ up, at all times and days (except during the general 2 hour slow-down due to an external fault the other day).

[Foster]

My speedtest at 4PM

[buckle247]

I always get full speed at any time of the day on BT. Its only P2P thats throttled during busy times, and the amount its throttled can vary from day to day.
No throttles due to usage either that I have noticed, have done over 400Gb in the past.

[bigbex]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Any Virgin users out there to balance the views?

[warren2]

Im with virgin on their 30mb.

Their pretty sneeky as in the daytime if I go over 10gb they will throttle my speed down to 7.5mb (75%) as it says in their traffic management.

The speed will then still throttled down until midnight.

As for downloading music/films etc its only the odd one that will download at the full speed and usually if its a massive file.

The average speed when downloading films/music etc varys from around 12kbs to 600kbs.

They are good (What do you expect if you hog the bandwidth lol) but BT Infinity is better by a long shot.

[bigbex]

I have now ordered BT Infinity. Thanks to you all, your input has been greatly appreciated.

[1979scotte]

Just had my talk talk fibre boost installed by a BT Infinity engineer. Doesn't matter who your isp is its all BT lines and its BT that do the installation. Currently getting 37 Mbps down and 1.65 up, very happy with that was getting 7 and 0.7 on ADSL. Faster than my mates virgin and cheaper too.

[buckle247]

Originally Posted by 1979scotte

Just had my talk talk fibre boost installed by a BT Infinity engineer. Doesn't matter who your isp is its all BT lines and its BT that do the installation. Currently getting 37 Mbps down and 1.65 up, very happy with that was getting 7 and 0.7 on ADSL. Faster than my mates virgin and cheaper too.

Openreach lines, and Openreach do the installation